Since its early beginnings, approximately eight hundred years ago, golf has grown to be one of the world's great pastimes and enjoys popularity as a recreational sport throughout the world. Indeed, virtually every country in the world not only has residents who enjoy this sport but also has numerous golf courses constructed for this popular recreational activity. Golf is played on a golf course which is specifically designed for the game and which comprises a plurality of holes for play. Each hole has a tee box from which a golf ball is initially placed into play, a fairway and a cup into which the ball is to be stroked. The cup is surrounded by a putting green, and the fairway is flanked by a rough. Often obstacles, such as water hazards, sand traps (bunkers), trees, foliage (shrubs, cactus, undergrowth and the like) and pavilions (such as equipment sheds, shelters, refreshment stands and the like) offer impediments which are to be avoided during play.
Various implements and equipment are used by a golfer in participating in this popular sport. Of primary importance, aside from the golf ball itself, is a set of golf clubs which includes clubs known as "woods," "irons" and a "putter." The clubs are arranged in numerical order of increasing loft, that is, the angle of club face from the vertical. The clubs are designed to propel a golf ball a substantial distance as the golfer seeks to reach a putting green from the golf tee. The set of clubs is typically carried in a golf bag which also includes pouches which may carry various other golfing implements and equipment. Typically, a golfer carries a plurality of golf balls during the course of the play due to the ever-present danger of losing a golf ball to a hazard. In addition to the above-described equipment, many golfers wear specially constructed shoes which include cleats for providing firm footing for the golfer during his/her golf stroke.
During the course of the play, a golfer often experiences situations wherein various items of his/her equipment and implements become soiled during play. For example, the faces of the golf clubs can become covered with dirt or mud; since the face of a golf club is typically provided with scoring, in the form of grooves extending transversely across the face of the club, these grooves become filled with dirt which can affect the flight of the ball after striking. This risk is exacerbated by a proper golf stroke with one of the "irons" since proper technique quite often requires the golfer to cut into the ground (i.e. take a divot) with the club face to impart desired loft and spin to the ball. A golf ball itself becomes dirty during the play as a result of its impact with the ground, especially in damp or muddy locations. Further, as a result of these damp or muddy locations, a golfer's cleats and shoes may become caked with undesirable dirt and mud.
As a result of the long-felt need to keep one's implements and equipment clean, golfers have resorted to carrying towels or rags which may be employed to wipe the implements and equipment. However, such towels are often ineffective to provide means for thoroughly cleaning and polishing golf club faces, especially the scoring lines, or to effectively remove the dirt and mud from the cleats of one's golf shoes. While it is known that the use of bristled brushes are effective in providing an additional cleaning aid, it is often proved awkward or difficult to carry and use such brushes during a game. For example, should a golfer carry a brush in one of the pouches of one of the golf bag, there is a substantial likelihood that the pouch will become quite soiled from dirt remaining on the bush after use. Accordingly, while many golfers recognize the desirability of carrying a brush, few actually do so.
Accordingly, there is a well-established need for an improved cleaning device that may be used by golfers to clean golfing equipment and implements. An attempt was made to meet this need in U.S. Pat. No. 3,350,736 issued 7 November 1967 to Frazelle et al., which discloses a combined golfer's towel, brush and cleat cleaner. In this disclosure, a golfer's towel is contained within a tube that may be clipped to a golf bag. This tube is formed of a plastic material and carries, riveted thereto, a brush and cleat cleaner element. The towel is partially moistened and secured to the tubular container by means of a thong so that the towel may be removed for use and then reinserted into the container.
Despite the development of the combined cleaning device shown in Frazelle et al., there still remains a need for an inexpensive cleaning device which may be used by a golfer to clean his/her equipment and which is light weight, easy to carry and pleasing to the eye.